“Rushing Water is a foolish chief. He should have chosen for a bride one of his own people. But, why has the Red Rose come hither? What is it that she seeks?”
“The Wizard of the Rocks is wise, and he is a great Medicine. He knows of deadly plants, the juice of which is sure to kill. The Red Rose would have a potion to give to the pale-face maiden when she comes. Let it be safe and sure, so that she shall be sent at once to the spirit-land.”
The scout gave another start. He was so nervous now that he could hardly keep in his hiding-place. Yet he thanked his stars that he was where he chanced to be.
“Let the Red Rose go back to her wigwam, and fear not. Rushing Water shall never take the pale-face maiden to his lodge. If it need be, the Indian maiden shall have the deadly potion for which she asks. The Wizard of the Rocks will see to it. Let her have no fears, and she shall yet live in the lodge of the chief.”
“The Red Rose is content. She knows that the great Medicine will keep his word. When the morrow’s eve shall come, will he be at the Indian village?”
“The Medicine has promised. He will be there.”
No more words passed between them. The Indian girl turned and disappeared the way she had come, and a minute after, the rocks seemed to open their jagged jaws and swallow the Wizard up again.
CHAPTER III.
THE CABIN CONFERENCE.
The scout kept quiet until both of them had disappeared, and then he rose up from his cramped position behind the rock.
“Well, this is a pretty go,” he muttered to himself. “Both sides have got their plans laid kinder cute. But I guess I shall have a word to say in this ’ere business. Wal, we’ll have a reckoning some day. If I could see yer old head up thar among the rocks, I should be tempted to put a bullet through it. I’ll be darned if I hain’t a good mind to shoot yer owl off his perch, anyway. You thought he was fooling ye, but he wa’n’t. I was here myself, all the time. But I guess I’ll let him alone. The bird ain’t to blame, anyway. Jest git yer p’izen ready for little Ruth if you want to. I guess it will be some time before you’ll have a chance to give it to her. It will, anyway, if I and Susannah can get to Sam Wilson’s cabin afore the red-skins. They’ve got some the start, but they can’t come in. ’Tain’t no use. Dick, the Death-Dealer, will get there afore ’em, and if they don’t get a good peppering out of yer mouth, Susannah, then I miss my guess. Come on now, for we mustn’t let the grass grow under our feet.”